Posted by:
olderelder
(
)
Date: September 19, 2021 10:36PM
My mother was born in the early 20th century in central Utah. My maternal grandmother died when my mother was young. Her father remarried. Mom always referred to the new wife as Aunt (first name), not as her stepmother. The second wife died and grandpa married again. This wife was also referred to as Aunt rather than stepmother.
I got wondering why. Was it just a peculiarity of our family? Was "stepmother" somehow improper back then? Was it a broader cultural thing of the times? Or was it an artifact of polygamy where all your father's other wives were called aunts?
No one is around anymore who can answer my question. Do any of you have insight on the matter?